Luck O' the Irish...

St. Patrick's Day allows me to indulge in a few of my favorite things: an excuse to throw a party, anything green, and a theme. It helps, too, that my dining room is already painted apple green so what sets a better stage for a St. Patty's day party? I guess a kelly green dining room?

This year it falls on a Wednesday so maybe a small dinner party would go over better than a big bash. Here's an idea for the invitation— simple, clean and green...

 Let's start off with a fun appetizer of these Shamrock green peppers. They'd be great served with a simple dip and you can also add celery stalks and spinach & artichoke dip (Whole Foods has the best one and it's very green in color!) I'm not sure what appetizer is shown in this pic I found at Party Perfect but it inspires me to go ahead and put the spinach dip on little baguette rounds or great crackers.

Serve the apps with green Jones Soda, or some good old Irish beer like Guiness or Harp, and these shamrock patterned napkins.

I love these Kate Spade dishes for the dinner table, and they'd be so cute year round, too! And the shamrock napkin rings couldn't be more perfect!

Looking for something to serve your corned beef & cabbage on? How about this tray? I love it for summer picnics to or even to infuse a bright green on your Christmas buffet.

An arrangement like this vase of green hydrangeas, euphorbias, and bells of Ireland (available almost year-round through florists) seen on Martha Stewart or this bouquet of Green Lady's Slipper Orchids paired with white-and-green parrot tulips, protea, and cestrum from Real Simple will tie the lime and kelly greens together and let you cover the gamut with tons of shades of green, and not limit you to all kelly green.

 

"So that's dinner, but now what about dessert?" you ask... Try Paulette macaroons in Sicilian pistachio or a simple cupcake in a green wrapper.

 

And if you need to add a little green to your outfit? How cute are these?

I so want to have this party now...